“The Beatles couldn’t have been more right they said, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Sometimes, it takes the kindness of a friend, or a stranger who chooses to become a friend, to help and individual get by. So with our #Globallove campaign for Valentine’s day and Shopanthropic’s mission, how does this song tie in? Well here’s our take:

1) We at Shopanthropic believe that Valentine’s day is a chance to spread kindness not just to your special someone but to those who you have a chance to be friends to, in your own backyard or half-way around the world.

2) We at Shopanthropic believe in the power of numbers. There’s a reason friends is plural. The more friends = the more help = a bigger difference.

“All you need is love,” sang The Beatles and we couldn’t agree more. Join the #Globallove campaign by purchasing a Shopanthropic product, tweeting the #Globallove hashtag and learning more about social enterprise, fair trade and ethical consumerism as a solution to global poverty.”

“2,000 delegates, four senior politicians, three commissioners, one and a half days of debate, 10 workshops and one declaration.” The Have Your Say social enterprise even took place in Strasbourg in mid-January, attracting politicians and social enterprise representatives from across European countries to discuss the future of social enterprise in the European Union.

While many politicians used extreme words to make big declaration about the importance of social enterprise , there was much debate after the event ended as to whether this radical thought would evolving to any real action. A second result from the conference was the realization that there is no international shared vocabulary around social enterprise. An issue that can only be resolved through more shared dialogue.

So was it all talk and what sort of action will come out of it? Events at such a large scale do help encourage policy development and progress. Additionally, a declaration resulted from the even that stated that the EU would support the growth of the social enterprise sectors by creating institutions and financial opportunities.

Perhaps North America needs large scale events such as this to bring dialogue of social enterprise to a continental level? Could we encourage our governments on this side of the ocean to consider similar declarations or progress? The progress made in Europe, and particularly in the UK, is something we should look as at a model to mould to our cultural and business environment. So what’s stopping us?

Just a reminder: Spread the word about social enterprise (#SocEnt) by sharing the #GlobalLove Campaign with your friends and loved ones this Valentine’s Day. Purchase an ethically-made or fairtrade product, learn about social enterprise and share it through Twitter and Facebook.

Recently, Whole Foods has been predominately promoted in the media for promoting the organic, slow foods movement in North America. In a recent article, Walter Robb, the co-ceo stated that one of the reasons Whole Foods has done so well is by focusing on transparency. By telling an authentic story (while avoiding preaching to consumers), embracing their mission fully, and focusing on the “right” reasons for being in the business, the slow foods movment has grown into the mainstream market.

Yet what about the slow fashion movement, a counter movement to the recent fast fashion trend. While many ethical fashion enterprises have embraced these values, the slow fashion movement has yet to reach the same mainstream popularity that its food counterpart has. Perhaps it is because of the questions we are forced to ask ourselves as slow fashion enthusiasts:

Who made the basic clothes we wear?

Are they receiving a minimum wage that allows them to fulfill their basic needs?

What is this garment made of?

How and where were the fabric produced?

What sort of waste occurs due to the production process? How many litres of water were wasted in its creation?

Will it end up in a landfill?

Question like this for us to reconsider many of our fashion purchases, which go beyond being a basic need and become a luxurious want. We live in an area where food and clothes alike are considered easy to dispose. Our parents always gave us those warnings about thinking about children in underdeveloped areas, such as Africa, whenever we thought about wasting our food? What about our clothes? When we go to dispose a t-shirt we bought for $10 or a pair of shoes we got in a flash sale, why don’t we think about the implications?

Perhaps it’s time for us to start considering these implications and putting our money where our mouth is. This means getting better-quality, longer-lasting garments that are good for the environment and the people that produce them.

Just a reminder: Spread the word about social enterprise (#SocEnt) by sharing the #GlobalLove Campaign with your friends and loved ones this Valentine’s Day. Purchase an ethically-made or fairtrade product, learn about social enterprise and share it through Twitter and Facebook.

The average percent of the final retail cost that go to the garment workers in underdeveloped regions of the world range from 0.5 – 4%.With that in mind, if the profits from that recent brand name dress your purchased where $100, between 50 cents to 4 dollars will actually go to the worker that developed the dress. No matter what the standard of living is in the regions these garments are produced in, this a low amounts. This is why celebrities such as Donna Karan and Huge Jackman are embracing an ethical framework for capitalism.

By “buying social” this Valentine’s Day you will help brand ethical fashion as the hip choice. Through education about sourcing, supporting ethical brands and sharing ethical fashion with others, you can make this Valentine’s Day matter even more. It’s time for fashion to take action in order to address the human cost of fashion. A cost we have seen through disasters in recent years such as the Rana Plaza building collapse. We need to ensure legislation, education, supplementation of traditional materials, and promotion can encourage this change.

The best part of this “buying social” movement is that it doesn’t require a sacrifice of personal style, you can look good, while doing good. You don’t have to spend exorbitant amounts of money to get products that are good quality and good for the environment.

Just a reminder: Spread the word about social enterprise (#SocEnt) by sharing the #GlobalLove Campaign with your friends and loved ones this Valentine’s Day. Purchase an ethically-made or fairtrade product, learn about social enterprise and share it through Twitter and Facebook.

In 2013, Canada saw a lot of exciting progress in the social enterprise sector:

1. Hosting the Social Enterprise World Forum:
Last October, the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) saw more than 1,000 delegates from around the world convene in Calgary, Alberta.

2. Releasing Two Provincial Social Enterprise Studies:
In 2013, the provinces of Ontario and Alberta released surveys on social enterprise in Canada.

3. Passing Canada’s First Recognized Hybrid Corporation Structure:
Last July saw the province of British Columbia open up registration for a new recognized hybrid corporation structure, the community contribution company (CCC).

4. Launching North America’s First Stock-Exchange-Like Platform for Social Ventures:
The Social Venture Connexion (SVX) opened in Toronto on Sept. 19. With the hope of building Canada’s impact investing marketplace, SVX will allow social ventures to connect with potential investors.

As we enter the 2nd month of 2014 and celebrate our #Globallove campaign for Valentine’s Day, we look forward to seeing how social enterprise will grow in Canada in 2014. Will ethical fashion be a mainstream hit? Will the world turn to Canada for social enterprise models? How will the new initiatives the provincial and national government have unrolled in 2013 impact the social enterprise environment?

Just a reminder: Spread the word about social enterprise (#SocEnt) by sharing the #GlobalLove Campaign with your friends and loved ones this Valentine’s Day. Purchase an ethically-made or fairtrade product, learn about social enterprise and share it through Twitter and Facebook.

This Valentine’s Day, the key to your significant other’s heart will be through social enterprise and ethical fashion. Think ethically made and/or eco-friendly when picking out gifts, or putting together an outfit for that special evening, which give in more ways then you could imagine. Here are 3 of our recommendations for perfect socially-conscious Valentine’s Day presents or for a Valentine’s Day outfit:

1) When you go out for the ultra-romantic candle-light dinner, go with the sturdy “Brocatto” Clutch is made of Brocade fabric made by a group of underprivileged women artisans in India. This clutch will add elegance and romanticism to any outfit.

2) For a more casual, fun Valentine’s celebration, consider the “Fire and Ice” Scarf, made of non-violent eco-friendly silk by fair trade artisans in Bangladesh. With a hint of red, there’s no way romance won’t bloom.

And if you are single and ready to mingle this Valentine’s Day, treat yourself or a friend to this excellent Valentine’s Day treat:

3) The “Bold Statement” Cuff that is handmade using recycled bomb shell by underprivileged home-based artisans in Cambodia. This cuff is sure to attract attention and pull together a gorgeous day-time or evening outfit.

Just a reminder: Spread the word about social enterprise (#SocEnt) by sharing the #GlobalLove Campaign with your friends and loved ones this Valentine’s Day. Purchase an ethically-made or fairtrade product, learn about social enterprise and share it through Twitter and Facebook.

As we continue to celebrate our #globallove campaign, celebrating the power of ethical fashion this Valentine’s Day, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at where sustainable fashion will go in 2014. Here are 3 trends we believe we will see in 2014:

1) The whole is greater than the sum: A focus on more than just material or specific process in the fashion production cycle, instead looking at it from a systems approach, looking at the overall process. This will including looking at how we can continue to support traditional artisanal skills, cultures, and communities.

2) Quality over quantity: A counter-movement that challenges the rise of fast fashion from clothing giants who produce cheap, here-today-gone-tomorrow clothing. There will be a focus on ethics, a meaningful attachment to your clothing and a relationship with fashion that goes beyond immediate fads. This will include the idea of purchasing less fashion, in order to support the type of fashion that supports the ethical fashion system.

3) Giants taking big steps: A recent article stated that “For all the tragedy which arose within the fashion industry in 2013, there was so much beauty that opened as well. 2013 saw some amazing steps for a more ethical fashion community.” These steps include large retailers, such as Nike and H&M, taking steps towards being more conscious. This trend will only continue into 2014, as more retailers realize that more of the mainstream consumer market is seeking ethical options.

2014 will be the year we start building relationships with our clothing, not in a vain way, but in a way through which we recognize the impact our fashion has. We will focus on craft, quality, character, value and the people behind it. Over the last few years, we have seen this trend build up in the food industry, and this change has only just begun.

Just a reminder: Spread the word about social enterprise (#SocEnt) by sharing the #GlobalLove Campaign with your friends and loved ones this Valentine’s Day. Purchase an ethically-made or fairtrade product, learn about social enterprise and share it through Twitter and Facebook.

Christmas decorations have barely been cleared out from shelves and retailers are already lining up shelves with a “sea of red and pink, hearts and chocolates, stuffed teddy bears and any other consumer product that will make some lucky person`s heart melt on February 14th.” Every year, we celebrate Valentine’s Day in our own way – with the #Globallove campaign.

Through this campaign, we propose a new purpose for Valentine`s day – February 14th is an opportunity for you to show that your care – not just about your special someone, but about the world – about someone half way around the world. You can do this by shopping ethically, being aware of where your products are coming and the conditions they are made in, considering the environmental impact of the materials used in the everyday consumer good you use, or donating to a microfinance fund that supports artisans in becoming self-sufficient and working towards a world where individuals working in developing countries receive fair wages for their efforts.

At Shopanthropic, we “support artisans, particularly women, in developing countries become self-sufficient. By encouraging them to use their craftsmanship to create viable businesses, supporting them for their continuous development and expanding their work, and helping them find the markets to sell these products to – we are caring for others.

So on and around February 14th tweet the term #Globallove and use Valentine’s Day as a chance to create some social change. At Shopanthropic, we are going to be doing some special offers to share some #Globallove with you – consider buying an environmentally-friendly or fair-trade gift for that special someone. Additionally, we will be tweeting and blogging about topics relating to the #Globallove campaign. So make sure you view our collection @www.shopanthropic.com.

Just a reminder: Spread the word about social enterprise (#SocEnt) by sharing the #GlobalLove Campaign with your friends and loved ones for this Valentine’s Day. Purchase an ethically-made or fairtrade product, learn about social enterprise and share it through Twitter and Facebook.

In an exciting movement in main stream fashion, Italian fashion brand Ma Mara is launching a four-piece eco-fashion collection. Made from recycled fabrics supplied from their eco-fabric partner, the line will be available in an international host of stores. The fabric itself is an antibacterial, UV-resistant and breathable fabric made from recycled material from plastic bottles.

What is most exciting about this news is that the fashion being produced through this eco-fashion initiative are wearable for a professional, as beautiful as their not environmentally-friendly counterparts and are mainstream. The line includes a trench coat, a collarless jacket, a t-shirt and a pencil skirt. As other fashion brands such as H&M embrace eco-conscious initiatives, this is certainly good news.

Go out, purchase some mainstream eco-fashion from collections such as this recently launched one, pair it with some beautiful ethical accessories from our collections here at Shopanthropic, and celebrate your ability to make fashion matter.

Ethical fashion is not just about the materials in clothing or the wages workers are paid, it is about the entire process from the inception of a product to how it is disposed of. This includes how ethical fashion is distributed, which includes the packaging and delivery of products. We found an interesting TED Talk that addresses the inside world of international shipping:

Share this:

Like this:

The Bay & Harbour Blog

Bay & Harbour is the brainchild of a Toronto-based mother/daughter team with an eye for trend-setting, unique and high-quality fashion & lifestyle products.

The pair is inspired by different cultures, handicraft techniques, discrete designs, and fashion trends from their travels around the world. Bay & Harbour as their outlet to share that love of design with others.

The Bay & Harbour collections feature a variety of accessories & lifestyle products for both men & women.

The co-founders are passionate about fashion with a cause. Many of the Bay & Harbour collections also include pieces that are sustainable and / or ethically made.